The Thief

3

I walked into the streets shivering. It was night now and the cold has caught up to me. I pulled my cloaked tighter around my small body. I searched the streets for anyone who would be nice enough to take me in. The streets were vacant. Families and friends slept soundly in their homes. I couldn't disturb them, so I kept walking.

I heard noise coming from a building at the other side of the street. The lights were on and inside, I heard laughter and shouting. I walked towards the house and opened the door. The smell was terrible inside. Dirty, sweaty men stumbled around the room with dazed looks. Some threw their arms around their friends as they laughed of amusement. Some men started at the women who brought them their food and drinks. Some of the women rolled their eyes and turned away while others smiled at the men. Some lady walked up to me and kneeled down.

"Are you lost, little man?" She asked me. I nodded. "Where are your parents?"

"They're dead." I stated.

"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss." She said to me.

"Why are you sorry? You aren't the one who killed them." She stared at me with a sad look in her eyes.

"What's your name, little man?"

"Myrddin."

"Nice to meet you, Myrddin. I'm Eve. May I ask how old you are?"

"I'm six," I told her. "May I ask were I am?"

"Your in the city of Caerleon," She said. "Do you have family around?" I shook my head. "You have no where to go?" I shook my head. She thought for a while. "I'm not supposed to have children in my household, but I can't leave you on the streets. Do you want to come live with me?"

"I don't want to be a bother."

"You won't be. I'll take care of you and I'll protect you," she told me. "Would you like that, little man?" I smiled and nodded. She stood up with a smile on her face. "I'll be let out in a few minutes, so go take a seat over there." She pointed at the empty table in the back corner. I waited patiently for her to return. She returned with a red cloak hanging on her shoulders. She grabbed my hand and sneaked me out of the building. For some reason, I wasn't supposed to be seen with her. She told me that if I was found living with her, she would loose her job. I didn't understand why. She said she would tell me when I'm older. That day never came. She had never told me.

It was a year since I've been living here. I've become friendly with the neighbors and they seem to like me. One day, I was chasing a piglet who had some how gotten out of its pen when I was making faces at him. It was not me! I did not let him out! Many people jumped out of the way, shrieking at the muddy piglet and the dirty boy chasing him. I was gaining up on him until he made a sharp turn. I stumbled into a mans market stand. I knocked down his fruits. He yelled at me and almost hit me, but I ran the other way to find that little piglet. Some people I ran by shouted at me to watch it. The piglet began jumping onto tables where people were eating. I jumped up as well and chased him on the tables. He ran off into a corner, and he had no where else to go. I picked him up out of breath. I turned around to find angry faces. Many people were covered in their food and some were muddy thanks to the piglet and I.

"Look what you've done!"

"Stupid kid!"

"Clumsy fool!"

Many shouted at me. Okay, so maybe it was my fault the piglet got loose, but it was a complete accident! The chef came at me with a butcher knife.

"Stop!" Eve jumped in front of me, holding me behind her. "He didn't mean to cause trouble!"

"Why are you defending this worthless child, Eve!" The chef questioned. He glared at me and I held the piglet closer to me. "Don't tell me he lives with you! You know the rule!"